Nothing Less Will Do
by Casa Circe
Summary: ZUTARA WEEK 2017, Day Six: Soulmates. Kanna and Iroh want only the best for their granddaughter and nephew. And they hope that they may find their happiness in someone someday.


**ZUTARA WEEK 2017, Day 6: SOULMATES**

 _ **Nothing Less Will Do**_

 **DISCLAIMER:** _Avatar: the Last Airbender_ belong to Bryke, but Zutara Week belongs to all Zutarians.

 **NOTE:** _This was the toughest prompt to write for, by far. There were just so many possibilities and the ideas I came up with I had more or less already tackled in other stories. And a concept so profound deserves a longer, more complex take and I really don't have the time and creativity for that._

 _But, as always, I like experimenting with perspectives so I figured I'd try to write for this ship using Iroh and Kanna. And it turned out to be an interesting journey. Some parts seem repetitive but that's intentional, my attempt at parallelism._

 _I always enjoy writing about supporting characters shipping my ships, and I've written Iroh's perspective before but never Kanna's so that was a fascinating treat. I'm sure they would both be very supportive of a good relationship for their nephew/granddaughter and they would also have some pretty high standards._

 _So here goes. Another reflective piece, but hopefully one that still does some justice to the penultimate prompt of the week._

 _Enjoy!_

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Kanna knew about these things.

She watched her granddaughter grow in strength and kindness and she could not have been more proud.

Kanna sensed that the young waterbender was destined for great things, to play a significant part in a journey beyond the Southern Water Tribe. And though she would miss the girl terribly, she knew that Katara also deserved to see more of the world and to help save it. Katara was ready to face any hardship the world threw at her, there was no doubt about it.

And knowing Katara, she would never be alone in her struggles. Her brother would always be there to support her and with her generous nature, she was sure to make friends anywhere she went. But Kanna also hoped that her granddaughter might make a more profound connection with someone someday, forge a bond that would shape her for life.

The grandmother had her standards for this hypothetical person. Naturally, she wanted only the best for her beloved granddaughter. He would have to be just as kind and generous as Katara, loyal to a fault, and always willing to help others. He would have to have strong convictions and he should be willing to fight for these beliefs. He would have to admire Katara's qualities but also not be afraid to challenge her on occasion. If the circumstances were dire, he would have to be willing to sacrifice himself to save her, to throw himself in the path of danger without hesitation if it meant giving Katara a chance. The list went on and on, but Kanna would settle for nothing less.

But, of course, Katara didn't need anyone to complete her happiness. Nevertheless, Kanna hoped, that if her granddaughter was lucky, she would meet someone who would brave all the storms with her.

"And who knows?" Kanna mused with a wistful smile, "Perhaps one day, this person might suddenly arrive at the South Pole."

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Iroh knew about these things.

He had always believed that Zuko's destiny would lead him down a difficult path but one that would make him emerge triumphant at the end of it. Greatness would not come because he was a member of the royal family or the heir to the throne. Zuko was more than just a prince of the Fire Nation and Iroh had been confident that his nephew would prove to be a far better man than his father could ever be.

So he stood by Zuko through his banishment and all the trials that followed. He knew that there was more to the young man than his anger, and that when he finally let go of his need for his father's approval and followed what his heart told him, he could be free. Iroh knew that Zuko would grow in kindness and strength, and when the latter finally started this journey, the uncle could not be more proud.

And maybe someday, if he was really lucky, Iroh thought with amusement, Zuko would find someone who would make him very happy, who would forge a unique and profound bond with him through shared experience.

This would be a rare person, Iroh decided, one who have to possess many qualities: loyalty, passion, kindness, generosity, conviction, compassion, and the list went on and on. She would have to be understanding of Zuko's taciturn nature, open-minded enough to see through the latter's mask of seriousness. She would have to understand Zuko's "unique" sense of humor and she would have to be capable of eliciting rare smiles from him. And she would have to be able to call Zuko out on his occasional folly and to challenge him whenever necessary.

With someone like this Iroh was confident Zuko would find happiness. Not that he needed someone else to complete his life. But Iroh knew that should Zuko be so fortunate, he would do everything in his power to make this person as happy as he was. Iroh was thrilled at the prospect of seeing his nephew find someone he truly loved and who would love him.

An added criteria for Iroh was someone with a proper appreciation of tea. His nephew might not be as fond of the beverage as he was (though lately he was developing a taste for it at last), but Iroh would not approve of anyone for Zuko who did not like tea.

Did such a person exist? For Zuko's sake, Iroh hoped so.

"And who knows?" the old firebender mused with a wry smile, "Any moment now, this wonderful person may even walk through the doors of the Jasmine Dragon."


End file.
